Retriever for golf balls



/N VEA/TOR F'IEJII H. W. FISHER RETRIEVER FOR GOLF BALLS Filed Feb. 21

Apr. 24, 1923.

wan/5655.5

Patented pr. 24, 1923.

sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

RETRIEV'ER FOR GOLF BALLS.

Application filed February 21, 1922. Serial No. 538,188.

T o all @ofzo-mv 'it my concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY W. FISHER, residing at Perth Amboy, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, a citi- 5 zen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Retrievers for Golf Balls, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a retriever for golf balls. In playing the game of golf the ball in play falls sometimes in such relatively inaccessible places as ponds, streams, and pits, with which the course is purposely r (or, it may be, accidentally) diversified, and

my retriever is an instrument for the recovery of the ball from such places.

The retriever is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Fig. I is a view in side elevation of the retriever in position ready to engage a ball, and of la ball, the retriever being in position relative to the ball to which it comes when about to engage the ball. Figs. II and III are views in side elevation and to larger scale of the retriever closed upon aball. These two views are on lines of sight at right angles, the one to the other, and Fig. II is on the same line of sight with Fig. I. Fig. II shows thestem or handle of the instrument in longitudinal section.

The retriever consists essentially of a bodyv 1 and a pair of jaws 2, 3 pivoted each of them to the body. The body may be of sui-table shape and size; it ordinarily will be made of non-corrodible metal; the jaws are preferably made of metal also, and conveniently of loops of flat wire, as the drawings show. The loops which constitute the jaws are essentially circular (the circles being less in diameter than the diameter of the ball to be retrieved) and the ends of the loops form stems of the jaws, and they are pivoted to the body 1. 1The two jaws are pivoted to the bod in such manner that the planes in which theloops severally extend are perpendicular to a common plane, and they stand, jaw opposite jaw. Being pivoted by their stems to body 1, the opposite loops may swing toward and from one another. All this formation is clearly shown in the drawings and with them in view'the foregoing description will be clearly understood.

A spring or springs 4, 4 tend to hold the jaws in collapsed position in their mounting' shaped to corresponding curves.

on the body; that is to say, swung each toward the other, and, with aball held between, l in spring pressed engagement on opposite sides of the ball. This most clearly appears in Fig. II.

A toggle 5 is pivoted at its outer ends to 60 the two jaws, the proportions being suchl that as the toggle is expanded the jaws will open, and as the jaws close the toggle will be collapsed; further, when the toggle is expanded to an extent slightly beyond its dead center (cf. Fig. I), its medial pivot point will lie between the now open jaws. A stop 6 limits the swing of the toggle in such direction. When the toggle has been expanded to this position the tension of the springs 4, 7 0 tending to collapse the jaws, holds the toggle so expanded. When then, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. I, pressure is exerted upon the pivot point of the toggle suflicient in amount to swing the toggle in opposite directionI (upward, Fig. I) across its dead center again, then the tension of springs 4, no longer resisted, collapses the jaws, and with them the toggle (to the position shown in Fig. II). The outer ends of the toggle being conveniently pivoted to the jaws approximately on the transverse diameter of the circular loops, are themselves" appears in Fig. III.

The operation is manifest. The instrument is set by swinging the toggle and expanding the jaws to the position shown in F ig. I; When in this position the instrument is caused to approach theball lto be retrieved (indicated at B in the drawings), and the pivot point of the toggle is brought to bear on the ball, and pressure is exerted, until the toggle is swung upward (Fig. I) across its dead center. Immediately the jaws close upon the ball, to the position shown in Figs. II and III; whereupon the ball may b e lifted b the instrument from its place of inaccessi le lodgment.

The instrument is carried `on a stem or handle, such as indicated at 7 ir the drawings. This handle. may be jointed, after the manner of a iising rod, and is indicated in Fig. I, and the joints may be of suitable 105 'length forv carriage in agolf bag. The instrument itself may be permanently carried on the terminal joint of the handleprefer Vably it will be jointed thereto, as s own in This clearly 85' be rendered even more adaptable to conditions of service by mounting the body l through a stili' pivotal joint on a base 8,

which base is directly borne on the stem orv handle. rThe advantage of this detail is that von turning the instrument itself upon this pivot, out of line with the handle, it may be advanced upon the ball in direct line from above, while the user stands at a distance,- say at the margin of a pond, in the middle of which the ball is lying.

I claim as my invention: j

l. A golf ball retriever including in its structure opposite relatively movable ballengaging jaws, a spring tending to hold the jaws in proximate ball-engaging position, and a toggle member pivoted at its opposite ends to said jaws and adapted when extended and holdin the jaws in remote position, to be swung y pressure exerted upon the ball to be retrieved, allowing said spring to swing the jaws to proximate ball-engaging position.

2. A golf ball retriever consisting of a handle, a body pivoted to and adjustable in its position upon said handle, opposite balleengaging jaws pivoted to said body and adapted to be swung yieldingly from proximate to remote relative positions, and means arranged between said jaws and adapted to be rendered ineffective by pressure upon a ball to be retrieved for holding the said jaws in remote relative positions.

3. -In a golf ball retriever the combination of a body, two loops of wire pivoted to said body, spring connection between said loops, and a toggle pivoted at its ends to the two loops and adapted when swung to and beyond its dead center to put said spring connection under tension and to stand itself with its pivot point exposed between the expanded loops, said toggle being provided with a stop, substantially as described.

j In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY W. FISHER. 

